working at it slowly

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Hello, can I join? I average an 11 minute mile on my longer runs (10-12km), but don't get much faster than that even when running much shorter distances.I sometimes get frustrated by how slow I am, but then realise that I really enjoy my long slow runs and hate speed training. But if I give up speed traing, I just seem to get slower and slower.

I've heard it said plenty of times that your size and shape doesn't matter, but I'm short and pear-shaped too and can't help thinking it must make some difference.

Hi guysI think shape does have an effect. I used to "run" with 2 friends both of whom are slightly taller than me but about 3 - 4 stone lighter and probably 3 - 4 dress sizes smaller. Not only did they have much less weight to carry round but their legs were longer and so were their strides which meant they were always travelling faster for much less effort. We don't run together any more as although they never made me feel out of it I made myself feel out of it.btw - about 11 minute miling after 9 month lay off part due to injury, part to commitments and part to laziness! Am trying to get motivated again but find it so easy to find an excuse.good luck to all

Hi allI'm an averagely-built fairly tall runner, but my pb for a 10k is 63mins.

I struggle to crack the 10 mm barrier on short runs and (oh dear) when i strap a hrm on and try to run at less than 70% max I do more than 12min miles. (and THAT'S better than I was doing a couple of months back when it was over 13min miles)

Hi trinI agree with you and FF - the not so slow ones won't be interested in our breakthroughs and will take themselves off to somewhere more appropriate.What is fast? Fast enough to catch my overweight labrador when next door's cat is teasing him would be nice. Not that the cat is in any danger!! Going out for a meal tonight so no training for me as will barely have time to get home from work, sort out dogs and then go.Fast other half coming back from Japan in couple of weeks (only been away a year) so looking forward to getting out during the week once he's back.Watch this space in March!Good luck with your training tonight. I think it's fine to up your weekend run and a mid week run as long as you don't overdue either of them. Many programmes (or whatever length / speed etc) advocate 3 weeks of increasing intensity and then 1 week stepping back intensity / distance etc etc. I'm trying to do this and so far so good.

Last week we did 8 miles. The first 3 were fine, then we hit the HILL. It felt like a cliff and went on for about a mile.(I have driven up it since to check, and it is pretty steep)

Fortunately for me, some of the others stopped before the hill to say goodbye to some people who were heading back early.

Even with a head start they had caught up with me by the top, and I struggled on behind them all for the final few miles back to the sports centre.

So,in short, tonight will be another 8 miler, same route as last time, and I'm hoping that the fitness I must have miraculously acquired since last week will allow me to finish the run without my legs turning to jelly.

By the way, last week we averaged 10min 40sec miles- and I was exhausted by the end.

Here's hoping they all stop for a chat at the bottom of the hill again to give me a chance!

I'm gonna do a timed short run tonight which I do every now and again to make sure i'm not getting any slower. Last time I was much slower cos I didn't do any speed training over xmas. Done some half hearted little bits of speed training lately, so we'll see.

I reckon we should judge each case individually Trinity?

Puff, I was so slow I went backwards on Sunday - trying to get over a hill with gale force winds against me - it was comical.

I've got a 10 mile race on 7 March, which will be the longest race I've done.

I'm probably feeling much as you are about your half marathon.

But if we both keep plugging away at it we'll be fine.

For me, I just have to be careful and not start off too fast in the race. i did that in a 10k recently (5min 20 for the first 1k), and, by the time I'd passed the 2k mark everyone was overtaking me and I thought I was going to have to stop & have a rest.

Going to do some "speedwork" tonight on the treadmill. Schedule says: warm up then 3x10 minutes at half marathon pace or faster with 4 min recoveries. So very very slow to start, slow then very slow (x3), return to very very slow for last 10 mins.

Hello - can I join in? Im a slow runner whose pb on a 10K is 61 minutes and am currently panicking slightly because ive just applied for a half marathon in March (first one) and i havent ran further than 7-8 miles in one go. I went on my running clubs Sunday long run but felt so slow as they are all training for the FLM so their pace is a lot faster than mine - I think im about 9.30 minutes per mile at the moment.

Ive also entered the Dublin Marathon so need lots of help and motivation.